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7.15.2011

Story Time with Quinn

We introduced you to Quinn last week and in stellar form we already received a write up from the tournament she recently played in. This might just be the beginnings of a new segment we'll call 'Story Time with Quinn'.

Get out and ride this weekend, stay cool, have fun. Enjoy:

Last weekend Alex and I head down to Columbus, Ohio to participate in the Columbus Bike Polo Invitational Tournament. All of the states bordering Ohio were invited, which made the tournament smaller than usual especially with only fourteen teams competing. I really enjoyed having a smaller group of people though because I got to talk with everyone and it was just way more fun instead of being serious and competitive like the bigger qualifier tournaments.

Our team the "Disease Ridden Pigeons" was made up of myself, Alex(Grand Rapids), and our friend Gregg from Pittsburgh. We had never played together besides pick up at previous tournaments but it only took us a couple games to figure each other out and we ended up working really well together. We arrived in Columbus and just a couple blocks before the polo courts were pulled over because my wheel covers had been blocking the rear lights. Luckily we only got a warning and continued on to find everyone playing pick up still. Alex wanted to rest up for the next day but I jumped in a played a few games for a couple hours, and thanks to the never ending lights we were out there until three in the morning.

The Columbus Bike Polo Club has a few spots they play pick up at. Two of those spots were public parks separated by at least half a mile and each had one average sized hockey court. They were in real good condition, nice surfaces, nets, and full hockey boards. The tournament started Saturday with the fourteen teams split in half, randomly. Each half playing on whichever court they were told to. The two groups of seven teams were separated to there courts and the games began. Since there were so little people they had two mini double elimination tournaments, one in the morning and one in the afternoon with an amazing lunch break in between thanks to our friends in Columbus. My team did pretty well taking 2nd in the morning bracket, and fourth in the afternoon giving us an overall spot for the Sunday rounds in 3rd.

Columbus was also having an alley cat race Saturday afternoon that some of the polo players participated in, my team on the other hand went back to the house for a well needed nap before the after party that the alley cat crew was throwing. The party was pretty fun, there was a lot of tall biking and even tall bike jousting, but most amazing of all were the prizes given out to the racers. Almost everyone got a customized messenger bag, and huge boxes full of various bike accessories, and parts. The first place winner got a full custom single speed bike, didn't catch the name on the bikes logo though.

After only a couple hours of sleep I got up bright and early to practice and play some pick up before the final elimination day. Jon from Columbus was the only one there at first, but once a couple more people showed up we started with some 2v2 pick up. Once everyone trickled in from eating breakfast the tournament eventually started. It was a long hot and humid day of polo, but we played tough out there and got ourselves to the semi finals. Our last game was a really close one against Dickfist at Tiffany's(Greg Russo, Nico, and Lomax) although we did get knocked out in the last thirty seconds of the game after it was tied 2-2 for most of it. We took fourth place and we were pretty happy about it.

After that we watched the three remaining teams battle it out for places. Eagle Spurs from Bloomington took third, Dickfist at Tiffany's from Pittsburgh took second, and Perenium Falcon from Lexington took first place. Prizes were given away to the top four teams and the Most Valuable Player which was given to Greg Russo from Pittsburgh who really knows how to play some polo. He is an amazing team player and I really enjoyed playing against him and his team. Everyone said there goodbyes and most of us went out to eat for dinner at a place around the corner. After eating a real good sandwich and being squished into the corner of the restaurant with everyone Alex and I departed and headed back home to Michigan. We had a lot of fun and I can't wait to see everyone again tomorrow in Lexington, Kentucky for Summer Break!